Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-03-31


"Hush Sometimes she conceits she's got a
needle in her foot and it's runnin' all over
over her. Then she howls with shootin' pains
up the spine Of her back Sometimes she
conceits she senses a man under her bed.
Then she raises the house in the middle of the
night"
"They say she's got four kinds of sickness
to wunst," remarked Katy.
"Yes, everybody that sets foot in the house
has got to go and hear about her lungs It's
going to carry her off with the gallopin' con-
sumption before spring, she tells folks. Then
she coughs a cough like she was holler from
her heels up. But old Madame Frenchy who
tends her says she never coughs none at night.
Her hands is as plump as baby's and she
weighs more than Shirley"
1--WE heerd she can't walk, or feed herself
without help" continued Katy
"That's another of her notions" scornfully
retorted Mis- Simpkins. "She senses she
can't turn herself over. Every time she
wants to be moved, she screeches for some of
'em to come and lift her. But she can turn
herself over fast enough if she thinks nobody's
lookin'. 1t takes her half minnit to put
every bite o victuals into her mouth. She
and they've got brittle and'll break if they're
moved unexpected. She crooks her fingers
that slow when anybody's looiin', till you'd
think it twas funeral waitin' for the corpse's
cousins to take their leave. But when Mad
anne Frenchy tells her what purity white
hand she's got and what slim knuckleS-she
does it o purpose to try her, old Mis- Frenchy
does she's smart enough, l war'nt ye)-then
she forgets herself tee-totel, she does, and
lifts her hand and limbers her fingers out an
out like pi9nna playin'. You can say what
you please, but them kind O. rheumatic I've
got my opinions Of"
Mis- Simpkins shut her jaws with snap
like q steel trap and ceased. Katy Tringle
took up the narrative.
"The neighbors says she got nigh onto
bar'l O. doctor books, and she reads 'em all
day, studyinF out what she calls her symptins.
her peace with her God and her neighbors, if
she's goin' to die SO fast"
Katy Tringle stretched out her neck and
gave hiss not unlike defiant goose. In
deed, both in appearance and mental qualii-
cations, Miss Tringle resembled somewhat
that invaluable domestic bird The hiss set
Mis- Simpkins going again.
"Yes, she says the doctors don't understand
her case at all, says she. DR.. Pumpkins
they've rowsted out a doze0 times in the
night to go out there cause Mis- Carstone
wouldn't live till morning. Last night they
sent .ur him he jist naturally up and wouldn't
go. I heerd every word they said myself,
right next door to the doctors shop. He told
'em he was too tired to go anywhere, and he
wouldn't go to see his own mother-in-law that
night"
Again this little Mis- Simpkins shut her
mouth with snap like steel trap
Again the old maid prompted her, and
again set her going.
"Mis' Carstone amt no more the same
woman she was when he wuz livin' than If
she'd turned into porkypine. She's as cross
as pizen. If they go agin her the least mossel
she threatens the children she's agoin' to die,
and tells 'em they'll be sorry after she's dead.
But she'll be alvin after you and mes laid
out on our coolin' boards, you mark"
Which was quite true. Mis- Simpkins
summed up in final gush of emphatic
opinion:
"Sho goes nag, nag, naggin' from mornin'
till night and nobody's got q minits peace in
the house. Lord Lord! if had her, I'd
take the kinks out of her!"
Then she shut her jaws with a snap which
was plainly to close out.
Tho village gossips' diagnosis was only too
correct To this hopeless state pretty, gentle
Mrs. Carstone had brought herself, simply
by giving way to her emotions, and coddling
her little ailments The process is not a diff
cult one for anybody.
Shirley's way was not path of roses, turn
which way she would. The question of
money bringing work had beset her sorely,
but a beginning had been made toward set
Ting that. The ever present Mis- Simpkins
opened her mouth and decided the matter.
She said to the squire:
"What's the use of maxim sich to-do about
q schoolmaster, when there's one right under
your noses? Give the school to Shirley Car
stone. She can write and indite and cipher
as good as the Presbyterian minister hisself,
if she is q female. She amt no great shakes
in years, but she'll come o that, if she's let
alone Most of US does"
So it came about that Shirley found her.
self in the place the master had filled. She
had taken the work that lay nearest A
dreary, distressed life she led at first. In her
and inexperience, death would
have been easier-far easier, indeed.
On this sullen, rainy autumn evening she
had gone home from her school and sum-
moned up all her courage, all her philosophy,
to meet the situation. Harry, the youngest
little boy, was dangerously ill. That after
noon was question of his life or death. Her
mother was so overcome that she went from
one fainting fit into another. Between her
calls for hot water and cold water and rasp-
berry vinegar and smelling salts, and her be-
ing constantly moved, she had kept the house,
hold on the trot for hours. The sound of her
peevish groanings was still in Shirley's ears as
she passed into the room where baby Harry
lay. A look of joy lighted his white little
face as he saw the strong, tall sister. He
lifted his wasted arms feebly about her neck
and moaned: a.. ..
"Help Harry, Shirley" ....-
She lifted the mite of body in her arms,
and walked back and forth, soothing the
child f ,
"Yo0 better let him die, Mademoiselle,"
said old Madam Frenchy. "He will be better
Off If he die now he will 60 to de heaven.
If he live you know not ware he will 60"
But Harry did not die. After he came to
be man he remembered that illness He al
ways said Shirley saved him. She was SO
strong and CHEEKY and gentle that he said
from the minute he saw her face that day it
put new life into him.
Il - Il. IL H.. IL 4.